Constructions Aéronautiques du Béarn

Constructions Aéronautiques du Béarn (short: CAB) was a French aircraft manufacturer, headquartered in Pau. The workshops were at the Aéroport de Pau -Pyrenees.

History

CAB was founded in 1948 by "Max Laporte " and " Yves Gardan " in Pau. The major product was the CAB GY -20 Minicab, a light aircraft that was designed by Yves Gardan. The first flight of the prototype took place minicab at 1 January 1949, Pilot was Max Fischl ( 1922-2006 ), who worked as a test pilot and Airbus.

Of this Type GY -20 and GY -201 30 pcs in Pau were built in 1950 under the name. In 1952 a GY -20 the pre-existing world record in its class of aircraft they flew non-stop 1825 km wide. The following year presented the minicab the world record for a distance of 2000 km at an average speed of 183 km / h.

The CAB Supercab, a modified GY 20 Minicab with leistungsstärkerem engine and retractable landing gear, flew for the first time on 5 February 1954. A total of seven pieces in Pau were manufactured. In the late 1950s the production in Pau was abandoned.

DIY

The plans were then sold to aircraft homebuilders. The Minicab was copied around the world 130 times in individual pieces. It is also operated under the names Falconar Hawk, Falconar MiniHawk or Barritault JB.01.

Ten machines are in Switzerland still in operation, seven supposed to fly to France and about nine in England. Licenses were sold after the end of series production to Canada and England as well as in the United States. Under the name " Cavalier " marketed by the American company Mac Fam in Montana plans a design that goes back to the minicab. The company Falconar in USA sells plans for a minicab with tricycle landing gear under the name Minihawk.